Maintenance & Setup

How long can you run a generator continuously? The tank limits most portables to 8-12 hours per fill – here’s safe refueling, oil checks, and long-run tips.

What size extension cord for a generator? Pick the gauge by length and load — 12, 10, or 8 gauge — with a chart, plus why an undersized cord burns out tools.

Should you clean or replace a generator air filter? Wash and re-oil foam, replace paper when it’s clogged or torn — plus how a dirty filter bogs the engine.

Generator oil change made simple: the right weight for your temperature, how much (about 0.6 qt), the step-by-step, and how often to change it.

How far should a generator be from the house? At least 20 feet, exhaust pointed away — plus the carbon monoxide mistakes that kill and how to avoid them.

How to store a generator the right way: run it dry or stabilize the fuel, change the oil, and skip the stale-gas no-start that strands most owners.

Connect a portable generator to your house the safe, legal way — transfer switch vs. interlock, the L14-30 cord, and why backfeeding can kill.

How to check, gap, and replace a generator spark plug. Read what the tip is telling you, set the right gap, and fix hard starts and rough running for a couple of dollars.

The math is simple: running watts of everything on at once, plus the single highest motor starting surge. Four tiers of home coverage with what to buy at each, plus the common sizing mistakes I see most often.

The full teardown walkthrough I use on the bench. 6 steps, 60-90 minutes, $10-20 in parts. About 70% of dirty carbs come back to life with this procedure.